Dirty deeds, done with relish.

Every time I'm about to write off the New Republic as a decaying, inside-the-Beltway dinosaur, they come up with something like this amazing piece by Franklin Foer. An absolute must-read, and something that should be passed on to fellow progressives. It also suggests that the idea of creating a force of youngsters, be they brownshirts, Red Guard or (if you're familiar with classical Japanese literature) kamuro, is an always-reliable way to have your dirty tricks done for you-- free and extra-brutal.

Many progressive authors have written about the reactionary effort to shape national discourse by spending hundreds of millions over the last few decades on thinktanks, media influence, and the funding of reliable talking heads. But one of the least-acknowledged aspects of that drive has been the College Republicans. Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, Jack Abramoff and Karl Rove all started there, and the organization now exists in their image-- that of amoral neo-fascism.

Seriously, you have to read this. It should alert all of us to the importance of the progressive netroots, and our continued participation in politics and efforts to spread the word, fund candidates, sign petitions, write letters, and get out the vote. I could go on endlessly about this issue, because most of my childhood friends were dedicated Republicans by the time they were old enough to drive. But I won't do it. Just read the article.